Happy New Year everyone. Well its here and time to start thinking about some positive changes I would like to work on. Thats working out on a regular basis or at least some form of exercise 4 times a week with a min. of 3. I would also like to take a little time each day for me to play in the flower beds in nice weather, read, knit, quilt or something new maybe. Making healthier choices and using my food journal on a regular basis I feel is a must. So many extras tend to slip in when I think I am doing well it just isn't the whole picture. I am going to spend some extra time with my mom either by phone or stopping in for a visit. She is 86 today and I better not just take her for granted anymore. So thats it. I think! Its a pretty tall order I guess but do able.
Today we are going to my brothers for my b day. I am going to try my best to eat healthy and only drink water today and some blk coffee or tea. I enjoyed myself last night with good company and good food and drinks. I did well playing cards and made a few bucks it was all in good fun. I ended the night with a no peek game and had 3 aces so I took the pot of change. I am going to make a healthy dish of some sort from things I have on hand to take to my brothers. I have some shrimp left over from last night to make a stir fry with veggies this week for dinner. Well looking forward to working out on wed. as the gym closed early yesterday and I missed out on my work out. I started sun. so at least one day in. So plans are sun, wed, saturday for this week and maybe a walk on friday at the lake for day 4 to fit in. I am going to try aquatics sat. and then pilates someday soon. Take care and hope your all ready to get started too. Checking in here is a must for me.
Penny it was nice to have one of my daughters say hey where was my soap this year for christmas. I didn't think she really liked it and found out differently. She especially likes the oatmeal, orange peel. The other daughters favorite is vanilla/mint.

We had a really fun time at our friends' New Year's party last night . I got lots of compliments and that made me feel good, especially as I've been struggling a bit lately. It was a dressy affair with the gals in party dresses and the guys in tuxes or suits. It was nice to see my hubby dressed up for a change. One of my friends who is also a breast cancer survivor was there and we both had low cut (as she said "hot") dresses on. We've both had reconstructive surgery and were giggling and comparing our "girls". Kind of nice to be able to laugh about it now. We went out for sushi before the party and that worked out well as I wasn't hungry and so was not tempted by the party "nibbles".

My resolution for 2008 is basically to consistently keep track of what I'm eating and make healthier choices for snacks.

Marie - Happy belated birthday wishes to Blizzie! I know how special she is to you and she's lucky to have such a caring "Mom". I started my food log about the same time as you did and I'm aiming for around the same calories (1650). Let's hope this is the charm for us to start losing again.

Carol - Happy birthday to you, your Mom, your DH and brother - wow so many birthdays!!! . Your flax seed muffins sound delish and healthy. I may try making some mini-sized ones for snacks. Your new gym sounds great. I'd love to have a pool nearby, it's so great to do water exercises when your joints are sore. It's nice your daughters appreciate your soaps so much. The oatmeal/orange peel sounds wonderful. I made some pumice/eucalyptus and also some espresso coffee (with coffee grounds) for our DS. He likes those for cleaning his hands when they get real grimy and they don't smell so "girly" as some of my soaps!

Juls - Congratulations on losing a pound! Quite an achievement over the holidays with all the extra temptations. I'm glad you didn't let a little bit of family tension get you down - that happens a lot this time of the year. I like your motto of "better but smaller"! I'm looking forward to a year of encouraging each other to reach our goals.

Judy - I hope all is well with you and that you had a great New Years!

Sounds like we're all ready to be big winners (or losers) in 2008! I'm back from a very good vacation with the folks. I'll step on the scale Wednesday AM for my first weigh-in of the year, then I'll reset my signature and goal. I'm a little overwhelmed right now by the backlog of snailmail and email! Lots is going on inside my head, so I will be spending some time these next few days looking inward, doing all that I can to get off to a good start.

Now that Carol has inspired me, I'll go downstairs to to work out on the bike!

It's great to see everyone back. We definitely need each other. I have been lax logging my foods this long weekend and hence I overate. I over-skied as well so I'm not worried about the calorie indulgence as many cals were expended. We skied HARD on Sunday with DS2. We were more reserved today but with as many runs. Just not the steepest today. My legs need to go back to work for a few days. Right now I'm sitting in front of my fireplace trying to not be cold. A few hours flying down a mountain in winter is chilly.

Juls, way to go chickie. A pound lost is FABULOUS. Absolutely wonderful. I wish you lived near me and you could use my DS2's treadmill. Mine is better so his is in the garage. Buy it for yourself. I very much love mine. Great for when no other exercise is possible and it's easy on the joints.

Judy, sounds like you had a great vacation. That's excellent. Now that you have a new boss, your life should be calmer. Right???

Penny you party chickie. I love the showing off of the "girls" with your friend. That's so great. I'm very thankful that you can do that.

Carol, your celebration for DH must have been rewarding with all that you've gone through this year. I'm with you on glad to see 2007 gone.

Blizzard thanks you all for your good wishes. We did have a nice birthday on Friday. Perhaps she doesn't get why she had so many special treats but that's ok. Yesterday, DH and I took the huskies out to the mountains snowshoeing. They had a great time running through the snow. There's nothing like watching a sled dog run through snow. They're so beautiful.

Well, all of you mentions of soap and water has made the idea of a bubble bath sounds wonderful. Relaxing on the tired quads. So I think I will do that.
Marie

Happy New Year everyone I posted on here yesterday but is gone gone.Oh well no biggy. I am sure Marie that the skiing took care of those cals. I am ready to start the new year out right. I went to moms party yesterday and I had the feeling I wasn't alone many people are sick of the sweets etc. So for the hubbies get together on sunday with all the family who knows where I will fit everyone but who cares as long as we are celebrating a happy time and not sad it will be okay. So I am going to do meatballs and sausage sauce and rolls, salad and some pasta for those whom might like it with the sauce etc. Then veggies, instead of cake a pie of his choice apple and then blueberry and a bundt cake with lemon and blueberry. A little wine, water, soda, beer and we are set. Anyone got any good veggie ideas send them my way I am open for new ideas. The hubby is 7 years older than me just turned 60. So thats the reason for a extra celebration this is one of the bigger years to celebrate.
We had the wierdest weather yesterday first it wasn't doing anything then rain, thunderstorm then big snow flakes crazy for here. Oh well it calmed right down after it all and it will be cold for a couple of days then be back up to 40's by the weekend. They say we are going to have a very hot summer hottest in 100 years we'll see. Lots of camping and kayaking this year. Best gift I ever gave the hubby. I think,.
Jud glad you had a great vac. and yah glad I motivated you thats the up swing we all need motivation lets go together we can make some differences for the better in all our well being.
Penny hope your doing well and you too Juls how are yah down under wish I was there for a visit so cool you live there I am jealous.
HI here I come and will be healthier when I get there to meet my little gs.
Gotta go eat my oatmeal.
Todays plans b-homemade oatmeal w/walnuts, cinn, bs
l- romaine lett. w/chicken/ veggies and lowcal dressing
D- shrimp stirfry with lots of veggies
S-tangerine, grapefruit and sugar free jello
Lots of water and blk coffee. Workout 1 hr. at the gym..... add a swim and sauna

Wow, what a pleasure it is to go grocery shopping on a weekday afternoon! This was one of the things I liked about being a consultant, much more flexibility about avoiding the crowds. But it's brrr cold out today! This weird Raynauds syndrome makes my fingers turn blue and painful after just a short time in the cold, even with gloves. I bought a little fresh produce and will enjoy being more of a "vegetableatarian" now that I'm home.

Juls, congrats on starting off right away with a loss! And good for you, not getting caught up in the drama with the ex. I hope you're able to get yourself a treadmill. I had one many years ago and loved it--but don't get a cheezy lightweight one, it's better to spend a little more and get a durable one so you'll get your full money's worth.

Carol, good luck making good choices with all this partying! I vote for green beans for Sunday dinner. You've got such a yummy-sounding menu. Everyone will be happy to squeeze in and celebrate your hubby's birthday (and his recovery).

Penny, I'm glad that your and the "girls" had fun New Year's Eve. Let's hear it for hot dresses! I dressed up, too, but couldn't look too hot, as it was for my mom's church, at their Watch Night festivities. No dancing or bubbly, alas (Baptists...) but lots of great music, and mom was was happy to have me there to hang out and meet her friends and extended church family.

Marie, my work life may or may not be calmer, we'll see. The travel schedule will definitely ease up a bit, and I shouldn't be in the office as many weekends as I was last year. But my new boss has mixed reputation in our field, and while I think that I will like working for her, there's a strong possibility that she will drive me insane. Keep your fingers crossed!

I weighed myself this morning, and didn't like what I saw...so I'm going to wait until Monday to post my 'starting' weight. Still pondering long-range and short-term goals. I did an hour of cardio and strength training this morning. So far I've eaten 2 scrambled eggs with salsa and hoppin' john for brunch, later had a bowl of spicy tortilla soup, a dill pickle spear, and some almonds. I'm having my last bit of steak for dinner, with some beets and cabbage, and fruit and cheese for dessert.

Judy, that is such great news that you won't be traveling as much. You'll really be able to stay in control. You did such a great job with the travels, can you imagine how great you'll do now??? I hope she doesn't drive you insane though. That can tend to lead to mindless munching.

Carol, I totally agree with Judy on the green beans. I get tiny ones frozen from Costco and they are to die for (really not dead like but really good). We have them about 4 days a week. They're great plain and really good with a spritz or two fo I can't Believe it's butter spray. I like beets too. But a do ahead you could just do a fun tossed salad (please do not toss it at your guests).

Well, I came up with a revision of my 1600 cal goal. With the skiing and full throttle exercise thing in the winter, I'm starving. So I realized that I need to have a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. There are days that I expend an additional 1000 cals (like on Sunday where I ate an extra 450). So when I looked at it, I realized that I lost an extra 550 on top of the reduced amount of the 1600. So I changed my database to enter the cals consumed and the cals expended and the consumed minus expended must equal 1400 or less. I always walk 1.5 miles (about 150 cals) so I think that calculation should work for losing weight. Even though I ate more on skiing days, I expended so much more energy, that it was okay. So I entered the exercise cals in the db and have the average going. I think that'll work well. Because I was starting to fall off the wagon because of being ravenous on ski days. So this seemed like the logical solution.

Do you all get Hungry Girl newsletters in your email everyday? If not, you should sign up - google Hungry Girl. or put the two words together and add dot com (I think). Anyway, one of the tips today was on how to avoid the pitfalls of falling off the resolution band wagon. Logging your food was one - but then it added something that is thought provoking. It said even if you log only every other day, it will help. Interesting - it's not all black and white but I think of the "diet" as black and white and it can't be. So maybe I'm finally getting it right (hence the cals expended logging). A gray area is better than all or nothing.

Good morning all I am up ready to go to work soon trying to make up an hr. from mon. To save for my HI trip I am really getting excited time to start to ck out the flights etc. DIL is working on that for me.
I again made it to the gym for an hr. work out. Next time will be sat. for water aquatics. It is easier to get there when your meeting a friend except waiting for others is tough I have an easier time of when I end my day than one whom has to bal. the bank first. Thats why she makes the big bucks.
Penny soaps are specailly requested by my directors hubby. He said he's never used anything thats helped his skin so much. Too bad he smells like lavender though wonder if the guys at work notice hah hah. Anyways he wants to buy some from me I am not sure what to chg.? Can you direct me? Also going to let him have a bar of my orange oatmeal to try. It might be the goats milk that did it though? In the past he has suffered every winter and tried many things. So who knows hope I can figure out which potions I put in???? Oh well fun anyways to get such happy folks gotta keep the upper hand happy they jsut approved my 3 weeks verbally yesterday for HI.So I am pleased.
Marie sounds like your getting it together. Hurray we are going to get this ship moving!!! Wow just think if we hadn't slid a bit where we'd all be oh darn but noticing and making changes is such an important factor in life changes good pat on the back for everyone.
Juls congrats! Judy good for you with the new position but hope you still get the Pikes Market? Shopping for healthy stuff makes the difference. I stopped at the store while awaiting my friend for the gym. Bought some huge blk berries and ate the whole container before my work out. But Marie I agree I was so hungry afterwards but did stick to healthy choices except my 10 little peanut mm's their amost gone now their better than some things. I am going to take an apple and eat it on the way home and that should help.
Thanks for the gr. bean idea sounds great. I can eat any leftovers too!
Well take care I have to go now.
Be good and before making a choice take a second to think it over then decide is it really what I want or an emotional choice? Helps me also thinking of the scale helps too. Haven't used it yet. Judy might be salt wt. left from the holidays.

Carol, congrats on the approval for your vacation. 3 weeks in HI during March sounds delightful.

I did 4 miles WATP this morning and 1.5 miles walking the dogs last night. I ate 1609 cals and burned 320 so I made my goal for the day. This morning I had a bigger breakfast (as yesterday) so that I wouldn't snack. So far, so good.

Judy - I like your idea of being a "vegetableatarian"! I'm starting to eat a lot more veggies. I love veggies but am usually too lazy to prepare more than one per meal. There's so many good veggies out there and I plan on trying some new ones. I get very cold hands too and once they're cold they never seem to warm up! Even with the thermostat set at 73 deg. I'm usually sitting on my hands to warm them up (at least my posterior isn't freezing!)

Marie - It sounds like you've hit on a good plan for when you exercise a lot. It makes sense to eat more calories on those days. I've heard that "cycling" calories from low to high prevents your metabolism from going into "starvation" mode. I'll check out the Hungry Girl website, it sounds like there's a lot of good info there.

Carol - I'm glad to hear your director's hubby likes your soaps so much. Perhaps it's because they are glycerin based. As you probably know, but maybe some of the other ladies here don't, glycerin is a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to your skin. Glycerin is a natural byproduct of the soapmaking process and while commercial manufacturers remove the glycerin for use in their lotions and creams, handcrafted soap keeps glycerin in. Whenever I clean up my utensils after making soap I get a sink full of soap suds. My hands are always lovely and smooth afterwards, as opposed to when I clean dishes with detergent which dries them right out. You asked about pricing. I have charged up to $7 for my fancier soaps when I sold them in a local boutique store (however, they took about 50% commission!) I usually charge my friends about $3 - $4 per soap.

Juls - I hope all is well with you down in the Antipodes.

I made an unusual but tasty lunch today. We had seared rare ahi tuna with dipping sauce (thai fish sauce, ponzu sauce, green onions, ginger, garlic & sesame oil). On the side we had steamed broccolini and mashed celery root. I love the taste of celery root - it's like creamy mashed potatoes with a hint of celery. It's only 30 calories for half a cup and low in carbs. A huge amount of food for around 300 calories (including 1/2 tbsp. of butter in the mashed celery root). The broccolini reminds me a bit of fiddlehead ferns, which we can't get here.

We're trying to eat out less this year, so it's fun thinking up some different and tasty low cal meals.

I was going to go to the office for a while and then visit one of the museums, but it's even colder out today than it was yesterday, so I've had a glorious (warm) day of puttering, reading and relaxing. I'm going to put in a full day at the office tomorrow, so this is was a good last vacation day.

Carol, I'm sure I'll be back in Seattle at least once this year. I'll probably be out of town once a month, on average, including voluteer work and personal travel, maybe a little less. And yes, some of this weight should come off quickly, so I'll wait until Monday before starting over with a new official number. But I did have too many treats, and could be found eating fried chicken and other staples of my family's diet....my body is happy to be on the healthy track once again.

Marie, I'll definitely check out Hungry Girl. Although I'm already getting too many email newsletters, these are the kinds I need to focus on to keep motivated . I think you're right to adjust your eating a bit, and since you are committed to tracking calories so closely, you should be able to tell in a few weeks if your theory was correct.

Penny, your dinner sounds so good, I'm heading right to the kitchen to make my dinner! So far today I've had a protein shake for b'fast, beans, slaw and chopped veggie salad for lunch, and an apple and cheese for a snack. I'll have tilapia and more veggies for dinner, and berries and cottage cheese for dessert. This morning I did 50 minutes on the exercise bike. I did well yesterday, but I ate a Balance Bar late, which wasn't on the program.

I'm thinking of setting monthly goals for a while. One of my January goals will be to go back to yoga and meditation. They will help me with work-related stress--and mindless munching. So at least every other day for the rest of the month, I will meditate, do a yoga routine, or both. Now that I have a DVR, I can't use the TV schedule as an excuse to sit up late on the couch...

Thanks for the info. Penny and I will keep that written down. Makes great sense. I am in a hurry this a.m. but will ck in later still on a roll but ate to late last night so that wasn't smart and when I am over hungry I don't make the best choices so I am over about 200 cals. OOOPPPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boo, I'm back at work...and the office freezing . My space heater will kick in soon, I hope.

I did a good workout this morning, WATP 5-mile walk. So far I've had oatmeal, kefir, half an apple, a string cheese, a cup of shrimp soup, veggie salad and tofu, nuts and a chocolate truffle...whoops, how did that get in there? Okay no dessert tonight. My goal is to get back to the weight I was when I left town, and now I'm just a pound away, so every 'slip' will need to be made up somewhere in the course of the day. I think I've beaten my sweet tooth into submission, after letting it roam a bit on vacation. But evenings are a struggle. If I hang in there, it will give up in a few days .

I'm excited about going to a first-time homebuyer workshop, hosted by the county, on Saturday. And I received a mail confirmation about another program (NACA) which has a workshop in February, so I guess I'm on the path. I have a very busy weekend ahead of projects and chores. I have a whole list of things to set into motion, like "renew passport" (not that I'm planning to leave the country, but who knows?) and "clean up home office." With any luck, I'll burn a few calories in the process. I also have a new balance ball DVD that I want to try out.

Penny I have to agree about your soaps. I haven't had to moisturize hardly at all since starting to use them. Perhaps I should have you make DH some since he has horrible dry winter rashes. Your mashed celery root sounds interesting.

Judy, I'm sorry you had to get back on the work treadmill. I'm not looking forward to a 5 day work week next week. So I'm trying to convince DS2 we should go skiing one of the days - maybe Thursday as he has it off from school. He's checking into whether he works that day.

Carol, you and me both. Hunger equals bad choices. Then I have to work harder on the exercise to make up for it.

Judy you have me beat on the WATP today (so far as I exercise when I get home from work too). I did 4 miles this am. So far I'm averaging about 1275 cals after consumed minus expended. Today I will probably need to exercise more since I went out to lunch with co-workers. My packed lunch was way healthier.
Marie

Judy hope you enjoyed your home buying class. Just think how exciting it will be to own your home. You'll have a great writer off on the taxes and closing cost I think the first year. You could even have a workout room etc... Just thinking. I love having a home and even though it does take up alot of my time in the good months never have I regretted it. Did the rent thing it was okay but owning worked better for us more control etc...
Marie yah we gotta beat the bad choices huh and being to hungry. I think going back to eating an apple on the way home is smart way to go. I pulled off the hubbies party today and not too many leftovers. We had a few cancelations with folks being sick but still managed to have a house full of family and friends. The cake came out really good made it a couple hrs. before folks arrived what was I thinking????? But it was tasty and many comments. The sauce came out good too not a lot of stuff left but enough for lunch and dinner again. The cookie are going fast now and no more for awhile I do owe the hubbie a blueberry pie I promised for next sunday. Other than that no real baking til easter.
Exercise wise I did a water class for 1 hr. yesterday oh so nice and lots of fun. I think its good on my back and hips than the machines. I have to be a bit careful of what I use. We are going to have a 60 degree day on tues. crazy I say! Global warming for sure. Well I can't fix it so I guess might as well enjoy it. I am planning on doing a swim class and treadmill on tues so around a hr. and a half workout. I am feeling better. Now get the choice making down and I will be good to go. Take care girls.